The wranglers at the Land Report magazine love to have fun in the open air. So, it’s no surprise that the magazine enjoys its relationship with Honda Powersports, a division of Honda, in North America. It’s our job to keep our readers up-to-date on the latest in lifestyle merchandise for the ranch and range and we know that many appreciate the wide array of products that Honda markets in the US that includes ATVs; motorcycles (touring/cruiser, sport/standard, minimoto, adventure/dual sport, scooter and off road models); side x side (sport and recreation/utility models); accessories that include clothing and gear; power equipment, such as generators; an impressive line of cars and trucks; and the Honda Jet. The company also offers rider education.

For this year’s 2023 Gear of the Year shoot and product evaluation, we sampled three new models from Honda: the 2023 Talon 1000 R-4; 2023 CRF300LS; and the 2023 XR150L.

The Honda Talon 1000 R-4 – Innate Talent

This new model broadens the Talon family lineup with seats for four and is built for rugged, wide-open terrain. The rear seats are now 3 inches higher and 2 inches closer and are designed to give passengers an improved view. A number of updates bring better weather protection with full-coverage doors; more storage; new aluminum wheels; new accessories and new wiring for accessories; new suspension settings and new colors. Powered by the 999 cc Honda engine that has impressive torque-on-tap and quick-revving horsepower, it’s shifted through a dual clutch 6-speed automatic transmission. It rides on 2.5-inch shocks on all four wheels and is set up with live valve suspension and has 13.2 inches of ground clearance. Base priced at $25,799.

2023 Honda CRF300LS – Wonderful Journeys

Honda’s dual sport motorcycle is made for urban riders but is also been developed to shed the asphalt jungle and for hitting the trails with rugged construction and its more upright seat position with lower ride height that will allow you to put your feet down at stops. It sports a new special paint scheme and purrs with a 286 cc liquid-cooled four-stroke single engine shifted through a 6-speed transmission. It has 9.3 inches of suspension travel, 9.6 inches of ground clearance, and a curb weight of 311 lbs. Base priced at $5,699.

2023 XR150L – This Little Machine Brings Big Fun

Honda says this little machine that weighs in at 282 lbs. hits the motorcycling sweet spot perfectly-and we agree. It’s just the right size to enjoy at a campground or for a day spent exploring the countryside. It’s engineered to handle trail rides with 9.6 inches of ground clearance, but is ready for city streets as well as scenic back roads, with folding foot pegs for a passenger. With DNA and legendary Honda reliability spawned from Honda’s famous XR off-roaders, it comes with an electric starter, a rear cargo rack and impressive fuel efficiency. Also available are accessories like saddlebags, hand guards and a skid plate. Motivated by an air-cooled, four-stroke single cylinder engine with a wide powerband, it shifts through a 5-speed transmission.  Base priced at $2,971.

*American Honda Motor Company is a subsidiary of Honda Motor Company. Honda’s worldwide headquarters is in Minato, Tokyo Japan

**Honda has been the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a production of 400 million by the end of 2019. It is also the world’s largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than 14 million internal combustion engines each year. Honda became the second-largest Japanese automobile manufacturer in 2001.